Machine for operating on shoes.



E. A. STIGGINS.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.17. 19l3.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET I- Fig.2.

W WVAZSSES.

E. A. STiGGINS.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I7. 1913- Pmmd 00. 31,1916.v

UNITED sr'rns rarnNa EDWARE A. STIGGINS, 0F MASSACHUSETTS, ASCIGNOR 'IO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES.

naoaoao.

Application filed February 17, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. s'rrecins, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Operating on Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for shaping the heels and soles of spring heel shoes. The heels of these shoes are made by separating the rear portion of the outsole from the insole, inserting a slip lift and then molding the outsole at the forward edge of the slip lift to form a heel breast and incidentally to shape the shank into conformity with the bottom of the last.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine which may be used c0nveniently, rapidly and with satisfactory results for shaping the soles of spring heel shoes of various styles and sizes. Itis desirable that this operation be carried out while the shoe is upon the wooden last and another object of the invention is to design a machine which is adapted for handling lasts of different heights and styleswithout dan ger of crushing and splitting as would occur if the last were subjected to an excessive amount of pressure. I

An important feature of the invention consists in a breast molding or shaping member adjustably supported adjacent to the heel seat portion of the mold and adapted by reason of its adjustment to form breasts of difi'erent heights. As herein shown this molding member is supported upon a wedge which may be shifted horizontally to effect vertical adjustment of the acting face of the molding member. a

It is importantthat the slip lift, inserted loosely'between the insole and outsole, shall be held firmly in place during the operation of shaping the breast and, with this end in View, another feature of the invention consists in a stop for engaging the rear end of the lift and positively preventing its dis placement. As herein shown this stop is arranged to overhang the rear portion of the outsole so that its operation upon the slip lift will be uniform regardless of the length of the outsole. After thelareast of the heel Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Serial No. 748,824.

has been formed by the use of the machine herein shown, the projecting portion of the outsole, and if' necessary part of the lift, are trimmed off to form a finished heel.

Another feature of the invention consists 1n arranging the members which engage the rear part of the heel for horizontal adjustment with respect to the breast forming member, in this way the machine being adapted for handling shoes of various sizes or for forming the breasts at varying distances from the rear end of the shoe.

Still other features of the invention relate to mechanism for holding the last and for preventing it from splitting when subjected to the heavy pressure necessary to mold the heel breast. last post is provided at its end with oppositely disposed clamping members arranged to engage opposite sides of the crown of the last andto be forced into the clamping engagementwith a pressure proportionate to the vertical pressure to which the last is subjected. l

In order that the last post may be located properly to accommodate lasts with improp- ,erly located pin holes and also for the pur-, post of effecting adjustment of the last with relation to the breast forming member,

the invention contemplates as another of its features a last post mounted in a head which may be adjusted in two directions at right angles to each other.

Another important feature of the invention consists in so arranging the work supporting parts that the shoe may be moved into place within or upon the shaping members before the machine is started, the pressure being exerted by a part of the machine arrangedto be moved subsequently and independently of the work holding members. This feature is of particular importance in that it permits part of the work, in' this case the end of the sole, to be inserted transversely beneath or behind a projecting part of: the molding mechanism. It is believed that this construction has not been employed heretofore in shoe machinery. It is not limited to use in molding or shaping machines but it is within the scope of the invention to employ it in any machine wherein it is desired to position a shoe accurately preliminarily to operating upon it in any manner.

These and other features ef the inven As herein shown the tion will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a view of the machine in front elevation; Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the molding mechanism and last post; Fig. 3 is a view partly in transverse section, showing the manner in which the clamping members engage the last crown; Fig. l is a view in longitudinal section showing a shoe in place between the molding mechanism and the lastpost; Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of portions of the last posts and clamps, and Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of sole shaped by the machine. 7

As shown in Fig. 1the machine has a frame 2 in which is mounted a reciprocatory head f arranged in alinement with and above the normally stationary head 30. The frame of the machine, the reciprocatory head 4, and the supporting head 30 may be similar to the corresponding parts disclosed in United States Letters Patent, No.

- 1,028,567, ranted June l, 1912 on an application of Gordon 6-: Topham. In this machine as in that of the patentythe head 30 is mounted upon a spindle 32 and is normally held in an elevated position by the heavy compression spring In the normal operation of the machine the head 30 remains stationary but if for any reason an excessive pressure is exerted the head 30 may be slightly depressed and the last will thus be saved from being subjected to pressure suflicient to crush it. 7 i

In the lower end of the head 4 is formed a hodzontal dovetailed guideway' extend ing transversely of the machine and receiving an intermediate member 6 and having in its lower surface another guideway disposed at right angles tothat in the head l. In this second guideway is mounted a sliding carriage 8 in which is pivotally mounted on a pin 12 the last post 10. The post therefore can be swung forwardly in the ma chine to receive a shoe and then rearwardly to position it in the molding device, being stopped in a vertical position by a shoulder which engages part of the member 8. Loosely fitted upon the post- 10 is a sleeve 1% having a pin 15 wh ch slides in a keyway in one side of the post 10. Vfhen the machine is idle the sleeve 1 is supported by the engagement of the pin '15 with the. bottom of the" l-zeyway. At'its lower end the sleeve 14 is provided with a last pin 18. Ext-ending between the sides of the sleeve let is a transverse pin 17 uponwhich are pivotally mounted two clamping members 16 one arranged to engage either side of the crown of the last. These members are normally held in their separated position by 1 ,aoemo compression springs 19 and are forced into clamping engagement with the last by the lower beveled end of the post 10 which engages the rear ends of the clamping memhere when the head 4: makes its working or downward stroke.

The lower head 30 is recessed in its upper face and provided with a concave hardened plate 31 shaped to form the tread portion of the heel. At its front side the head 30 is cutaway for the reception of the breast molding member 36 which normally projects above the plate 31. In its inner face the member 36 has a short keyway into which projects a stationary pin 39 which prevents transverse movement of the member 36 while-permitting it to be adjusted vertically. At its lower side the member 36 is formed with an inclined face and rests upon the upper surface of a wedge 42. The latter may be moved horizontally to raise or lower the member 36 by a screw 4 1. The member 36 is locked in'adjusted position by a pivoted clamping member 38 which is forced into holding engagement by a hand screw 740. hen it is desired to adjust the member 36 the hand screw 10 is turned to loosen the clamping piece 38, the wedge is then moved inwardly or outwardly to. position properly the member 86 and finally the screw 40 is turned to clamp the members in adjusted position. 7

At its rear side the head 30 is provided with an extension which has horizontal guideways for a slide 46. At its forward side the slide 46'carries a concave plate 50 which constitutes a stop for the slip lift and is spaced above the plate 31 sufficiently to permit the rear end of the outsole to project 7 beneath it. An adjusting screw 48 is provided for shifting the slide 46 back and forth in order that it may bear properly upon the rear end of the slip lift and prevent it from being vdisplaced.

The operation of the machine may be briefly stated as follows: After the necessary preliminary adjustments have been made the last post is swung forwardly and the last pin 18 inserted in the pin hole of the last upon which is the shoe to be operated upon. The slip lift is inserted and the 'last' post swung rearwardly, the rear end of the outsole being guided into position beneath the plate 50. This the operator is enabled to do on 7 account of the sliding fit of the sleeve 1% on the post 10. The machine is then started and the head e descends forcingthe post 10 downwardly into engagement with the clamping member 16. These are swung into engagement with the crown of the last and thereupon the sleeve 14:, the last, and the shoe are forced downwardly with sufficient pressure to shape the heel breast inthe desired manner. The length of the compression may be regulated asdesired but inord-i nary cases it is found that an interval of from 10 to 30 seconds will be suilicient.

\Vhilc the invention is herein illustrated as including a support for a wooden last it will be understood that an iron last or die may be employed instead, if it is desired to o erate upon shoesfrom which the wooden last has been removed and such construction would not be, outside the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as ne and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, normally stationary sole molding devices, a last post arranged to swing to and from a position in alinement with said devices, and a last carrying sleeve slida-ble upon said post to permit the sole to be brought into preliminary engagement with the molding devices. 2. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a normally stationary sole molding device, a transversely movable last post, and relatively movable last clamping members carried thereby and adapted to move freely toward and from the molding devices preliminarily to the operation of the machine.

3. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for a lasted shoe, molding devices including a breast forming member, a wedge for positively supporting said member, means for adjusting the wedge to move said member toward or from the sole of the shoe, and means for relatively moving the support and molding devices.

4:. A. machine of the class described hav ing, in combination, a support for a lasted shoe, molding devices including a stop for engaging a part of the rear of the heel portion and being adjustable longitudinally of the shoe in a path above the sole, a vertically adjustable breast molding portion, and

means for relatively moving the support and the molding devices.

5. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a tubular last support, a reciprocatory pressing member preliminarily movable in the support and acting to move the support, a stationary pressing member oppositely disposed with respect to the support, and means for actuating the reciprocatory pressing member after a shoe has been positioned between the last suppor and the stationary pressing member to subject part of a shoe on the last to pressure.

6. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a last support, a molding member in line with the support and having a portion spaced from its molding face and arranged to overhang a projecting part of the sole, the support being freely movable to engage a last between itself and the molding member, and means disposed within the support and arranged to be operated thereafter to relatively more the support and molding member to subject a shoe on the last to pressure.

7. A. machine of the classdescribed having, in combination, a. molding device having a portion overhanging its molding face. a last support freely movable vertically and transversely to position. a shoe with a pro jecting portion beneath said overhanging portion, and means for vertically moving said support after the shoe has been positioned to subject it to pressure.

8. A machine of the class described having, in combination, devices for operating on a shoe sole, work holding means including cooperating clamps arranged to engage opposite sides of the cone of a last, and power operated means for forcing said clamps toward the last preliminarily to the action of the operating devices.

9. A machine of the class described having, in combination, devices for operating on a shoe sole, work holding means including cooperating clamps arranged to act upon opposite sides of a last, and a power actuated device arranged to force said clamps toward the last during one part of its movement and to produce the action of the operating devices during another part of its movement.

10. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a sole molding device, a last support including cooperating clamps arranged to press upon opposite sides of a last near its crown, and a power actuated device arranged to force the clamps toward the last during the earlier part of its movement and to cause the molding device to act upon the sole by the later part of its movement.

11. A machine of the class described having, in combination, shoe supporting means, a heel forming plate having at one end a projecting breast forming member, and a stop disposed adjacent to the other end of the plate and spaced above the plate so as to overlie a portion of the sole.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a heel forming plate, a stop for a slip lift adjustably mounted in spaced relation above said plate, a breast forming member adjustable with respect to the heel forming plate, and means for clamping said member'in position.

13. A machine of the class describedhaving, in combination, shoe supporting means, a sole molding device, and a stop spaced above the rear surface of the molding device for engaging a lift inserted above the sole and having a space beneath for the reception of the projecting end of the sole.

14. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a jack for a. shoe, mold ing devices including av sole engaging plate, In testimony whereof I have signed my a breast molding die adjustable'with respect name to this specification in the presence of to said plate into positions of different two subscribing wltnesses.

effective height, a movable Wedge for posi- EDWVARD A. STIGGINS. tively supporting said die, and means for Witnesses:

clamping the Wedge in Whatever position it C ESTER E. ROGERS,

may occupy. LAURA M. GOODRIDGE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

